article on names

[jadedinnocent.livejournal.com]

link to an interesting article on unusual names: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19275450 (just scroll past all the discussion of Derek's)

WDYT? I was interested by the woman at the end who said she named her daughter Ryan so that potential employers would mistake her for a man, as men get better opportunities - interesting take on the glass ceiling! Perhaps I should go back to being known as Sam professionally, I always sign myself Samantha so that people DON'T mistake me for a guy!

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Comments

[eveyalecia.livejournal.com]

What strikes me the most about the article is the notion of Derek being an uncommon and unfashionable name. I don't think of it that way at all! I was a little surprised to read that, as a matter of fact. I looked it up and discovered it was in the top 100 in the United States for twenty-five years (1970-1995). I don't know how it did in the UK, but it certainly doesn't qualify as uncommon in the US! Although it's not my style, I think Derek is a great name! Two Derek's I can think of right now are characters in recent TV shows, one of whom was the title character (Life with Derek and Teen Wolf).

[aislincalum.livejournal.com]

Bland.  Jesus.

[bratty-lil-fae.livejournal.com]

I went to high school with two Derek's plus has a Frederick who went by Derrick, I don't think it's uncommon at all.

[how-obscure.livejournal.com]

I don't think the point they meant to make was that Derek was uncommon, only that it is not a popular name choice for babies being born now. They said somewhere in the article something about Derek's decline. Whether or not it was ever considered "fashionable" in England, it sounds like it was at least "heard of." Only, it has seen a sharp decline in usage. As you pointed out, it was US top 100 1970-1995, peaking in 1980. Since then, it has been steadily dropping in popularity. I know the only Derek I ever met was my age. I was born in 1986. That was the first I had ever heard of the name. It is possible that the recent TV shows you mention could spur a resurgence though.

[http://users.livejournal.com/___heyvanity/]

You know I've never known why it bothers me, but I think you hit the nail on the head.

It's not the worst naming crime IMO, but I still prefer feminine sounding names on girls.

[http://users.livejournal.com/___heyvanity/]

I agree. I couldn't believe someone would change their name to Jake Ryan vs. Derek. Both are bland basic names IMO... on the same level. I knew a lot of Derek's growing up. It's not like naming your child Llewellyn or something "crazy."

[roxtarrr.livejournal.com]

First of all, I love Life with Derek even though I'm way too old for it.

My boyfriend's name is Derek and admittedly, it's not my favourite name in the world but recently we keep seeing all this hate on the name that neither of us really understand.

[hermione-vader.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the Dereks utterly confused me. It comes across as a 1980s-ish name to me, not some horribly, horribly outdated one. What on Earth is going on with Derek in the UK?

[schexyschteve.livejournal.com]

I never thought of it that way, but I think that's one of my main problems with boys' names being used on girls.

[daydream11.livejournal.com]

I totally agree. I'll give any daughters I have feminine, girly names and will raise them as feminists who brook no nonsense, and it'll be a statement because I'm a blazing feminist who is really tired of the only "acceptable" femininity being perceived as passive and weak, and therefore inferior in this aggressive, extroverted, masculine society. Ryan will still be female and feminine upon interview, anyway, so the advantage is negligent at best.